Georgia’s Foreign Minister Ilia Darchiashvili went into damage-control mode in Washington after the United States rebuked Tbilisi by indefinitely postponing joint military maneuvers with a Georgian contingent, citing recent statements and actions by the Georgian government that are incompatible with Western values.
Darchiashvili traveled to Washington to participate in NATO’s annual summit, which began July 9. He met with the NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for the Caucasus and Central Asia, Javier Colomina, on the sidelines of the meeting to discuss Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic integration prospects.
The Georgian Foreign Ministry proceeded to issue a statement touting Darchiashvili’s meeting with Colomina as evidence that Georgia “has always been a reliable partner of the alliance and has made a significant contribution to the strengthening of Euro-Atlantic security.”
The statement also noted “the progress of Georgia on the path of Euro-Atlantic integration, including the strengthening of the country’s defense capabilities.”
Progress is not a word that US officials are using when describing Georgia’s relations with Western political and security institutions.
The Pentagon demonstrated its displeasure with the Georgian government’s recent policy actions, including the adoption of illiberal legislation and the awarding of a contract to develop a strategic seaport to a Chinese consortium, by effectively canceling Exercise Noble Partner, originally scheduled for July 25-August 6. Washington has determined that this is an “inappropriate time to hold a large-scale military exercise in Georgia,” according to the Pentagon. The decision came as part of a broad review of bilateral relations that began in response to the Georgian Dream government’s geopolitical shift away from the West.
“On May 23, the Secretary [of State Antony Blinken] announced a comprehensive review of bilateral cooperation between the United States and Georgia due to the actions and statements of the ruling party,” a State Department spokesperson said in response to a query from Eurasianet. “It is an unfortunate development, but one driven by the current situation.”
Helping to fuel Washington’s irritation have been unsubstantiated claims by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze that the United States was working to topple his government and use Georgia to open “a second front” against Russia.
Darchiashvili’s meeting appeared to do little to ease tension between Georgia and the West. Colomina‘s account of the meeting stuck to generalities. He mentioned the two sides discussed the current status of the NATO-Georgia partnership, including the 10th anniversary of the Substantial NATO-Georgia Package, as well as regional developments. The package was adopted in 2014 and was aimed at increasing the interoperability of Georgia’s defense capabilities with those of NATO members. The conversation also touched on the security environment in the region and Russia’s war in Ukraine.
Darchiashvili will take part in a meeting of foreign ministers of NATO partner countries scheduled for July 10. Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is also expected to attend.
While Georgia is testing the West’s patience, Armenia appears to be the new darling of the Caucasus in the eyes of the United States and European Union. Later in July, Armenian troops will hold joint military maneuvers with US Army and National Guard personnel, dubbed Eagle Partner 24. The joint exercises with American forces come shortly after Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that Yerevan intended to withdraw from the Moscow-led Collective Security Treaty Organization.
On the sidelines of the summit, Mirzoyan, whose presence in Washington was intended as a strong signal of rapprochement with the West, met with Blinken and discussed the bilateral agenda and regional issues.
The US capital is hosting the NATO summit for the first time in 25 years. In a speech to attendees, US President Joseph Biden described NATO as “more powerful than ever,” and announced a new military aid package for Ukraine intended to bolster the country’s defenses against Russian missile attacks.